Family Lawyer

for Texas Families

Committed Legal Support for Texas Grandparents

Grandparents play a vital role in shaping a child’s life. The state of Texas recognizes the impact a relationship with grandparents has on a child’s happiness and development and offers grandparents rights to visitation and custody in specific situations, including those in which:

A parent has abused or neglected the child

A parent has been incarcerated

A parent has died

The child has primarily lived with the grandparents for six months or more

The child’s current living environment with a parent threatens the physical safety or emotional well-being of the child

If any of these factors apply to your situation, you may have the legal right to pursue custody or visitation of your grandchild. I’m family lawyer Megan Rachel; I can help. With nearly 30 years of experience, I have the skill and knowledge needed to help you understand the rights you are afforded, and the best strategies for exercising them.

The Difficult Truth for Grandparents: The Process May Be Challenging

While grandparents are afforded rights by Texas law, the process of exercising these rights can be convoluted and challenging. The process of seeking custody or visitation rights to your grandchildren involves several key steps, including:

Initiating your request: To begin the quest for custody or visitation rights, you must file a petition with the court. This involves the completion and submission of specific paperwork and documentation.

Proving harm: In most cases, to secure custody or visitation, you must prove that a denial of contact with their grandparents will actually cause harm to the grandchildren. This goes beyond proving that the relationship is in the best interests of the grandchildren—the standard of harm requires demonstrable evidence that the child or children will suffer, either physically or emotionally, or that the lack of a relationship will negatively impact the child’s upbringing in a significant manner. Often, the testimony of specialists such as child psychologists may be necessary to prove the harm standard.

I offer the guidance you need to understand and complete each step in the process as effectively and efficiently as possible.

The first step in pursuing your rights as a grandparent should be to discuss your situation with a qualified family law attorney. By scheduling a consultation with me you will have the chance to discuss your situation, learn more about your rights under Texas law, and gain insight into the process of pursuing visitation or custody of your grandchildren. Contact me online or call 972-426-2637 to schedule a consultation today.